A Belmont woman was charged with felony child endangerment Tuesday for allegedly climbing on the railing of the Golden Gate Bridge with a toddler.

Xinyi Zhao, 23, was also charged with abducting the 20-month-old boy in violation of a custody order, said Deputy District Attorney Charles Cacciatore. The boy has been returned to other family members.

The case began at about 4:40 p.m. March 27, when Belmont police received a report that Zhao had taken the boy against a court decree. Police advised other law enforcement agencies to look for her car, a Volkswagen Touareg.

Golden Gate Bridge officers subsequently spotted a woman climbing on the bridge railing with a small child before climbing back down. The California Highway Patrol detained Zhao on an involuntary mental health evaluation while the investigation continued, said CHP Officer Andrew Barclay.

The CHP arrested Zhao on Friday after learning she was going to be released from a hospital. The CHP referred the case to the Marin County District Attorney's Office for review, and charges were filed on Tuesday.